Fingering device for guitars



(No Model.)

W. E. PAGE.

FINGERING DEVICE FOR GUITARS.

N0. 421,4Z6. Patented Feb. 18, 1890.

INVENTOR:

WEldge WITNESSES.-

ffmzm UNITED STATES \VILLIAM E. PAGE, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI.

PATENT OFFICE.

FINGERING DEVICE FOR GUITARS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 421,426, dated February 18, 1890.

Application filed June 27,1889. Serial No. 315,751. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM E. PAGE, of Kansas City, Jackson county, Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fingering Devices for Guitars, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof.

My invention relates to a fingering attachment for stringed instruments, by means of which the strings may be fretted without pressing the fingers directly thereon and without the fingers coming in contact therewith.

It is my object to provide a simple device which may be readily and quickly attached to or removed from the neck of a guitar, banjo, or other stringed instrument, and which, when in place, will enable two or more strings to be fretted simultaneously by a single pressure of the finger, whereby chords may be more easily played than when each string must be fretted by a different finger.

In the drawings, in which my attachment is shown applied to a guitar, Figure l. is a plan View, and Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view on the line :0 a; of Fig. 1.

The drawings show only the head and a portion of the neck of the guitar in the first figure, on which are arranged the strings I) b, in the ordinary or any preferred manner, and

I the attachment is secured to the neck of the strument.

In vertical threaded sockets e in one of the side bars 0 are fitted the lower threaded ends of standards D D, to the upper ends of which are pivoted the ends of the levers B of the finger-keys A A, above referred to. These levers are bent downward or provided with an offset at 0' to bringthe keys into a p081 tion to be more easily pressed by the fingers of the performer, and they are provided near the said offsets with depending guide-pins G, which fit and operate loosely in sockets e c in the adjacent side bar 0 of the frame. On the said guide-pins are coiled the springs G, which bear at their lower ends on the upper surface of the side bar and at their upper ends against projections g on the pin, whereby the free ends of the levers are normally held in their elevated positions. These levers carry presser-fingers F F, which are forked at their lower ends, as seen at f, to straddle and bear on the strings I) b, as shown clearly in Fig. 2 of the drawings, whereby when one of the keys or valves is depressed by the finger of the operator each finger F, which is carried by the lever of the said key or valve, depresses a string into contact with one ofthe frets f f. It will be seen that these presser-fingers are arranged close to the frets, so as to hold the string closely in contact therewith when a key or valve is depressed. It will be understood that by properly arranging these presser-fingers any desired chord containing any number of notes, from two up, can be played, and in order to facilifate the arrangement of said presser-finge'rs they are affixed or formed integral with the arms f and B, which are extended laterally from the levers of the keys or dampers.

In order to give the performerasecure hold of the instrument while playing, I provide a thumb-hold II, which extends from one side of the frame down beneath the neck to about its center. Through the ring or loop on the extremity of the thumb-hold the thumb of the performer is placed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. An attachment for stringed instruments for fretting chords, carrying keys or dampers having laterally-projecting arms provided with two or more presser fingers to simultaneously engage and depress the strings, subseries of presser-fingers to engage the strings, substantially as specified.

3. The combination, with a guitar, banjo, or other stringed instrument having frets, of pivoted keys or dampers having their levers provided with depending forked presser-fingers to engage and depress the strings, substantially as specified.

4. In an attachment for stringed instruments, the combination, with a suitable frame adapted to be clamped on the instrument, of the keys or dampers having leverswhich are pivoted to the frame and are provided with depending guide-pins operating in sockets in the frame and embraced by coiled springs which normally hold the said keys or dampers elevated, substantially as specified.

5. In an attachment for stringed instruments, the combination, with a frame carrying clamping-screws, of the keys or dampers pivoted to the frame and provided with operating-springs to normally hold their free ends elevated, said keys or dampers being provided near their free ends with offsets Z), substantially as and for the purpose specified.

6. I11 an attachment for stringed instruments, the combination, with a frame provided with clamping devices, of the standards secured to one side of the frame, the keys or dampers pivoted to the upper ends of said standards, the depending guide-pins pivoted to the keys or dampers and operating in sockets in the opposite side of the frame, and the springs coiled on the said guide-pins to normally hold the free ends of the keys or dampers elevated, substantially as specified.

7. In an attachment for stringed instruments, the combination, with a frame provided with clamping devices and carrying keys or dampers to engage the strings of the instrument, of the thumb-hold H, secured to the said frame and provided at its free end with a ring or loop to receive the thumb of the performer, substantially as specified.

8. An attachment for stringed instruments, having a frame carrying keys or dampers, the free ends of which are arranged close together in series at one side of the neck of the instrument and are provided with depending offsets l) to bring said free ends below the plane of the strings, and the arms carried by said keys or dampers and provided with presser-fi ngers to engage the strings, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM E. PAGE.

Witnesses:

F. G. FISCHER, A. A. Hrenon. 

